Women Reading for Education, Affinity & Development (WREAD): An Evaluation of a Semistructured Reading Discussion Group for African American Female Adult-Literacy Students with Histories of Trauma

Jones, Jayatta D.

ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Chicago

Women Reading for Education, Affinity & Development (WREAD), a reading discussion group geared toward African American female adult-literacy students with self-defined histories of trauma, was an outgrowth of research identifying links between trauma, women's struggles with literacy, and the need to be conscious of emotional health concerns in adult education classrooms. The structure of the group was grounded in theories of relational-cultural theory, critical pedagogy, and Black feminist theory; and combined thematically arranged literary materials (i.e., poetry, texts, and films), critical group discussion, and cultural activities. The use of a mixed-method, feminist qualitative analytic approach illustrated how educational interventions like WREAD can lead to literacy gains, improved psychological self-awareness, and positive group connections among women with difficult socioemotional histories. Culturally sensitive, gender-specific interventions like WREAD have the potential to broaden the impact of literacy organizations by more fully engaging learners and providing a structured, supportive space for academic and emotional growth. Furthermore, the interdisciplinary nature of this project encourages novel interchanges around literacy education and emotional healing in the fields of adult education, social work, and women's/Black feminist studies, broadening the impact each of these fields has on their typical focal populations. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]